Coordinating animations and media in computer display output

• US 20060103655A1
• Filed: 11/18/2004
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hillberg, Michael J., Schechter, Greg D., Subramanian, Sriram, Young, Kenneth L., Gupta, Namita, Mullen, Patrick, Calkins, Matthew W., Blanco, Leonardo E., Jacob, Kurt, Nelson, Elizabeth K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,336,280 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/473
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/109 Font handling; Temporal or kinetic typography
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]

Abstract

Described is a method and system in which storyboard objects coordinate the animation of multiple elements and/or media displayed on a computer graphics display. Storyboards relate properties of elements in an element tree to a timeline, such that the properties associated with a storyboard are animated/play together as a group by starting, stopping, seeking or pausing the storyboard. Triggers, such as controlled by user interaction with the displayed information, including property triggers that change values in response to a state change, and event triggers that fire events, may cause the storyboard to start, stop, pause and seek. Storyboards may be used in XAML-based programs, and may be directly associated with elements, or indirectly associated with elements via styles. Complex properties and changeables are supported. Media playback may be controlled via storyboards, and thereby coordinated with other media playback and/or animations.

Claims

1. In a computing environment, a method comprising:

processing instructions that relate a set of timing data to a property of one element and a property of another element; and

changing data corresponding to values of the properties based on the set of timing data such that representations of the elements change over time.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the instructions comprises parsing extensible application markup language.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the instructions comprises obtaining the timing data from a style associated with an element.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the elements are in an element tree, and further comprising, traversing the element tree to provide rendering instructions.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein changing the data comprises instantiating a clock object that maintains timeline information.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein changing the data comprises starting a storyboard corresponding to the timing data in response to a trigger.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the trigger corresponds to a property trigger, and wherein starting the storyboard comprises evaluating a state of the property trigger.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the trigger corresponds to an event trigger, and wherein starting the storyboard comprises detecting an event fired by the event trigger.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the trigger corresponds to an enter/exit trigger and wherein starting the storyboard comprises evaluating a state of the property trigger for an enter event.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein changing the data comprises modifying a sub-property in a complex property path of a target element.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein modifying the sub-property comprises establishing a property value for the target element, and then modifying the sub-property value.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein changing the data comprises establishing a value for a property.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein establishing a value for a property comprises searching for the value based on conflict resolution ordering.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein changing the data corresponding to values comprises determining a property of an element to change, and a base value from which to change the property.

15. At least one computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed perform the method of claim 1.

16. In a computing environment, a system comprising:

a data structure including a storyboard, the storyboard including an association mechanism that relates timing information to a property of an element;

a processing component that processes the data structure into a tree of elements and timing data related to the elements; and

a rendering mechanism that provides output data to a graphics subsystem for a corresponding display, the rendering mechanism changing a value of at least one element property of an element in the tree based on the timing data such that a displayed representation of the element changes over time.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the association mechanism comprises a setter timeline.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the association mechanism comprises a storyboard object property.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the processing component includes an extensible application markup language parser.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the processing component processes the data structure by obtaining the timing data from a style associated with an element.

21. The system of claim 16 wherein the rendering mechanism changes the data by instantiating a clock object that maintains timeline information.

22. The system of claim 16 further comprising means for starting a storyboard corresponding to the timing data in response to a trigger.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the trigger corresponds to a property trigger.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the trigger corresponds to an event trigger.

25. The system of claim 22 wherein the trigger corresponds to an enter/exit trigger.

26. In a computing environment, a system comprising:

an element tree corresponding to data to be rendered;

a collection of one or more timelines, each timeline corresponding to an animation template that is capable of being applied to an element, subtree or other object in the element tree and is that capable of being started independently; and

an animation mechanism that changes data corresponding to values of the properties of elements, subtree or other objects in the element tree based on the collection of timelines such that a representation of the element tree changes over time.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the collection of one or more timelines is specified in markup language.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein the animation mechanism starts a timeline to change the data over time.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the animation mechanism starts a timeline based on a state of a property trigger.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the animation mechanism starts a timeline based on a state of a enter trigger.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein the animation mechanism starts a timeline based on an event.

32. The system of claim 28 wherein the animation mechanism starts a timeline based on a completion of another timeline.

33. The system of claim 28 wherein the animation mechanism modifies a sub-property in a complex property path of a target element to change the data.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the animation mechanism modifies the sub-property after establishing a property value for the target element.

35. The system of claim 26 wherein the timeline is applied to an element, subtree or other object via an association mechanism.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein the association mechanism comprises a setter timeline.

37. The system of claim 35 wherein the association mechanism comprises a storyboard property.